


I: Vide Stellas

by Stzari



Series: AQWorlds: Star Crossed Lovers [1]
Category: AQW, AQWorlds, Adventure Quest Worlds, Artix Enertainment
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire Chaos Lords, Blood and Gore, Death, Domestic Abuse (at beginning, F/M, Foreshadowed possession, Minor Character Death, Original Character(s), POV Original Character, POV Original Female Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-13
Updated: 2018-06-13
Packaged: 2019-05-21 19:10:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14921222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stzari/pseuds/Stzari
Summary: Originally featured on my Wattpad, Kalcina (AKA MeatShieldMatt)CHAPTER RATINGS:Prologue - T (violence)1 - T (violence, domestic abuse)2 - G3 - T (violence, domestic abuse)4 - T (violence)5 - T (violence, kidnapping)In this village there is a legend; a legend that says that those who die with regrets or grudges shall rise from their graves and haunt the living, and wherever they go, calamity is sure to follow. They will wake, wander and bring more people to join them. They will rise among the trees and travel down the dark hill. They will find idle dreamers and fearful folk huddled around dim lights - lights that can do nothing to protect them; and they will strike.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is a remake of my collab & the 1st book in the series, which has the 1st arc: Memory. 
> 
> II: Quod Vero De Chaos Et Timor has the 2nd arc: Chaos infiltration. 
> 
> III: Auxilium has the final arc: Freedom's Journey. 
> 
> Could've put all the chapters of the arcs in one, but it'd be 2long2read. I like to separate arcs in my stories; people won't get confused.

_I’m scared._

 

_I’m so scared, it feels like my head’s going to explode. I kept begging and pleading for freedom, but all I heard in response was the man walking away from me. I wanted to use my hands and feet, I wanted to move. I wanted to be free. Until now, I’ve never heard screaming like this before. It’s pure, primal terror, cutting through the air like a perfect sine wave. It almost feels like it isn’t even real; like he’s been screaming for an eternity. I think…_

 

_I think he’s being killed – right now! My God, what the hell is he doing to him?! No one deserves a fate like this; why isn’t God allowing him to fall unconscious so he doesn’t have to suffer?!_

_I think it’s been at least half an hour now, but I don’t even know myself; I’m blindfolded, unable to see the scenes that are being played right in front of me, and if I’m being honest, I’m thankful for that. These drastic crimes being committed in front of me would be enough to make the strongest man lose all of his sanity at once._

 

_Finally, those inhuman screams of a young boy being ripped apart from the inside have finally come to a halt. But it’s not over yet – another scream now erupts inside the derelict curriculum. Without even a single moment of silence, the first of the girls in line is next to scream for her life, and the symphony continues on to play its song of genocide. I can hear the gurgling, the choking and the screaming like she is right beside me now._

 

_Ah, that’s right._

_  
She is beside me._

 

_I can’t take any more of this, I feel like I’m losing my mind! Stop it, stop it, stop it, STOP IT! Please...is it still going on? Just die already._

_Wait, ‘Die already’? God, what is wrong with me?! You know what, I don’t care anymore, just get it over with and leave me in peace!_

 

_Finally, after hearing a sound like a heavy object being dropped...the noises stopped, and the room grew quiet again. Those footsteps are getting closer and at this point, every single strand of my hair is standing on end. Everything below my stomach feels like it’s frozen, like I’ve suddenly been stricken with severe diarrhea.  
_

_Hang on...he said that it was in order…_

_Oh my God, why am I relieved by the silence?! The kid next to me just died! Which means…_

_which means it’s my turn now…! Oh...oh no…!_

 

“ _ **Ack!”**_

 

_Someone’s got me by the hair. They’re pulling my head up...and they’re taking off my blindfold, Which means I get the see the face of my killer themselves._

 

_They took the blindfold off, and with my blindfold removed the sight that appeared before me was more horrific than anything I could possibly have imagined. The person staring back at me, brandishing a blood-soaked sword wasn’t the large man from earlier at all._

 

_It was him – he was staring intently at me with soulless eyes…and then he just started giggling. He was swishing the bloodied sword back and forth, back and forth, whilst the sound kept on echoing throughout the curriculum. Then, he took that dull, rusty, throughly blood-soaked blade and slowly brought it closer and closer to my left eye._

“ _ **How...why…**_

 

_**Why is it you?!”** _

 

_Unfortunately, my cries of shock were never answered that day as I realised that I was never going to leave this place again._

 

“ _ **NO! STAY AWAY! STAY AWAY FROM ME! AAAAAAAAAAGHHHH!”**_

 

_It went through my eye._

 

_I just wanted to lose consciousness – the deepest part of my brain had become thoroughly clouded over, and there were moments when I felt as if I could almost just slip away from this world; but the intense pain would always wrench me back to my senses before I could follow through. I would’ve welcomed even a momentary loss of consciousness with open arms, but any sort of despite from my suffering was plainly denied me. The only possible escape was death, and death was certainly at hand…but it was taking an eternity to reach me. I was like a shellfish removed from its shell. I knew my fate, but only the chef could make my end come, and he was savoring my torment._

 

“ _ **Oh my, you’re a tenacious one; aren’t you? It’d all be over if you just die already, you know that?”**_

 

_Another and another._

 

“ _ **There, now that it’s all nice and squishy….let’s see if we can scoop it out!~”**_

 

_**FUCK!** _

 

“ _ **Oh, mommy?~”**_

 

_His cackling voice was the last thing I ever heard. I called out to the one I had loved, but it was pointless. The darkness had taken over, and the man I knew and loved was dead. I tried lifting my hand out to touch my killer, but I couldn’t move my arm. Blackness swept over my vision and I felt a coldness slowly enveloping my body. Death was now closing in and I wanted to injure him with the energy I had left, but it was all in vain. Within a second or two, my hearing shut down and I could no longer hear a single thing. My vision became a small pinpoint of light._

 

_The world became quiet._

 

_The blood in my veins stilled._

 

_My heart took its very, last beat._

 

_And my last breath of air left my lungs._

 

 

_That was when I died._

 


	2. 1 ~ Freedom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sara Dreadgood, a young doomknight in the making, is horrifically abused by her parents. However, this terror is soon to end...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe I should’ve mentioned this in the prologue, but here’s what this story contains - 
> 
> Many OCs  
> TRIGGERING MOMENTS! such as torture and abuse.  
> Some chapters may be for mature audiences if you're squeamish over murder and/or violence.  
> Logic!  
> Probably a lot of chapters  
> Probably a lot of short chapters  
> Probably a lot of badly written chapters  
> A ton of cliffhangers
> 
> So if you get upset and/or angry towards these themes....you have been warned!

“ _Life and death are like two sides of the same coin. Yet even knowing that, I found his death untimely and tragic. He must have imagined a future for himself; there were still days of joy and days of sorrow lying before him. His quick death could reinforce his fear of being unable to fulfil his ambitions and dreams, keep his promises and to never be able to live a better life, while dying young and never being able to go to university, get a job, have a family or special someone in their life and to experience the joys and frustrations of everyday adult life. Today I still remember who he used to be, who he was related to, what he was like, what his life was like before that horrible incident and what his life could have been like if he never had been spotted by the cruel, heartless disease that day; not knowing that fate had him locked in place, and his life was going to be snuffed out. For days on end, I could not help but feel that someone had stolen those precious moments from him. Death is part of life, but his felt wrong.”_

 

*** * * ***

 

I saw a black cat catch a mouse.

It happened in an instant. All I saw was a dark shadow leaping out, and before I knew it, there was a black cat with a mouse in its mouth. The mouse didn’t even twitch - perhaps the cat had hit its vitals. As if noticing my gaze, the cat looked my way. Her large, hazel eyes were wide open. Only moments later, the cat vanished off into the darkness.

 

I let out a great sigh. How beautiful it was. The image of that black cat was burnt into my sight.

Such a nimble body, and with eyes like full moons. Hazel like mine, true. But I had no fangs like her. And I had no freedom.

 

I sprawled out on my dirty bed and gazed outside. All I could do every day was look out the window outisde the tavern. Why, you ask? Because to do so was my way of life, and my duty.

The people passing through didn’t notice me. And if they did, they pretended not to notice the pale girl glaring at them. Honest people scowled as if they’d seen something taboo, and quickly departed.

 

Naturally, these were the slums. Everyone is focused on living for themselves, unable to spare the time to lend others a hand.

 

I woke up to another day in hell again; these voices continiously rage on and on. Listening to the loud voices, I hugged the covers even closer to my body as I bit into a soft pillow as an attempt to silence the shaky whimpers escaping my lips. I heard my own sobs that were muffled into the pillow as more tears painted it.

 

_If my parents hated me so much, why did they have me?_

_What does she have that I don’t?_

_What’s so different about me and her?_

 

_We were siblings, for crying out loud; she was just a little younger than me and apart from that we were exact mirror images._

 

“She needs to go – I’m so sick of her! Why can’t we just throw her out with the trash, it’s where she belongs.” A deep, masculine voice yelled, anger dripping off his lips. It must’ve been my father. “She’s such a waste of space and skin, I don’t even know why we kept her for so many years.” He growled, clicking his tongue.

 

“Dearest, I know, I know. I want her gone too. But we can’t get rid of her until we have the chance to, and who knows how long that will take?” A feminine voice huffed, her hate for me mixing in with his. “We need the chance; but until then, just put her in her place. Would you, my dear husband?” The woman asked. The pain would begin once more.

 

My irises shrunk as panic struck my heart, making it spread into a numbing pain as his footsteps echoed into my ears, inching closer to my room with each footstep. I clutched the covers closer, as an attempt to make myself disappear as creaks filled my room and light poured onto my bed. I failed. My covers were ripped off of me, my shivered paralysed my spine as I looked up with fear pouring into my eyes. My father’s own bore into mine as he gripped my arm tightly, yanking it to the side as I toppled off the bed. He smacked my head on the ground and a searing pain slowly began to numb it, his fingers gripping it as I groaned in pain. Fingers grasp a fist full of my hair and was pulled up harshly, then a hard fist smacked across my face. My face jerks to the side as an unbearable pain shatters my face before another strikes the other side of it. Blood dripped from my own nose and mouth while my body was forced down and a sharp pain erupted on my ribs. The man who called himself my father applied heavy pressure as my breath was sucked out of my lungs. My nails gripped the carpet as my chest starved to be free.

 

All of a sudden, the door opened – and a sweet, innocent voice rang out. “Daddy? What are you doing to sissy? Why is your foot on her chest? Wouldn’t that hirt her…?” A voice asks, quiet yawn following after it. “You’re making a lot of noise, why were you and Mummy yelling? Is sissy okay…?” The young girl asked, hugging a stuffed moglin in her chest.

 

He stopped applying pressure as he tilted his head towards the doorway, where small little Siobbhan stood. Her innocent hazel eyes watched the scene in front of her as she tilted her head, confusion fogging her mind; she was just too young to understand the scenes of horror that were right in front of her. “Don’t worry your pretty little head my sweet girl, I’m just tucking your big sis into bed. Just go back to bed and I’ll be there soon, I promise.” He says sweetly, as if he was bipolar – how could he just switch moods and entire personality so quickly? Young Siobbhan smiled back as she happily skipped back to her room, having no idea what was really going on. “As for you, though, it’s outside.” He growled, grabbing my hair once more.

 

Gripping it harder than before, he yanks it roughly, pulling me out the door. I held the base of my hair to try and lessen the pain as he dragged me down the hall towards the back door. He pulled the door open and a gust of cold air smacked me as warm hands grabbed onto my arm and leg. I then felt my body being lifted off the ground as the gravity quickly shifted. Just before I could blink, snow enclosed all around my face as the coldness pierced my skin. The door slammed shut, coldness wrapping itself around my body tightly, hungry for my warmth. I quickly sat up, coughing ice out of my mouth and wiping my watering eyes whilst attempting to stand up.

 

_How is this my life? Do I even belong in this world if I’m just going to be treated like this forever?_

_If I were a character in a novel, a hero would show up just in time and take me away from this prison; but no handsome prince is going to save me, no God is going to look down upon me and categorise me as saveable. I won’t be saved from this fate, because I’m worthless._

 

Feeling around the enclosed darkness, I grasped the cold oil lamp near me and turned the latch, an orange glow flares up around me. Numerous tongues of flames flickered around as I picked at the old night and placed it next to a box. There have been many nights where I have been thrown outside to sleep; it’s not a suprise that I’ve set shop here. A nice tattered old sheet for a blanket, the cold wet ground for a bed and a nice box for a pillow. I lowered my aching body down onto the deathly ground, resting my hand on the box, hugging the dirty sheet as if my life depended on it. Cold seeked into my lungs as I closed my eyes, waterworks clicking away under my sockets as the water poured out. Drip, drip, drip.

 

Pain turns to coldness, coldness turns to darkness, darkness turns to hope.

 

_This is a feeling that is very familiar to me._

 

“Worthless! Useless!” He would continue to yell. I would constantly cry out as my father yet again would kick me. I would hold my sides, wincing at the continuous pain. The scent of alcohol would linger in his breath and make my stomach churn violently once I would hit the ground and cradle myself. I didn’t dare make any sound, since I was afraid he would hit me again. As soon as I heard the sound of footsteps I knew he had left my room. That was when I decided I had enough, and I was going to run away before they ended up killing me. Even if I had nowhere to go to, I just wanted to run and never look back. I quickly reached into my closet and grabbed the backpack I previously packed a few days ago. I had secretly planned this for a long time, but the truth is I never felt as courageous until now.

 

I looked towards the door of my room and saw the backdoor of the house, the same door that he would open and throw me out of if I had ever gotten on his nerves. That was going to be my exit. With a deep breath, I rose to my feet and peered out of my room to see both my parents sitting in the living room, facing away from me. I kept completely silent, but I knew exactly what to do.

 

A sudden jolt of adrenaline fueled me and I lunged to the door, swiftly unlocking it and swinging it open as fast as I could. I ran as fast as I could as there was no point in keeping quiet – because as soon as the door opened, it squeaked. I heard a loud, masculine voice yelling after me as I made my way out of the hell that others considered my home. I kept on running, running and never looked back at that house again, despite the shouts and into the snow.

 

_The cold. That’s all I’ve ever felt, as well as for the feeling of loneliness and pain._

 

I ran through the snowy forest, my long, strawberry-blonde hair swaying to the sides, running from my monsters of parents. My father and mother have abused me for so long, I feel like I should forget about how this all happened; but no. I could never, ever forget how and why this all happened.

 

“ _ **Why do we work against Alteon? Is his rule really all that awful? Why can’t we just join forces? He doesn’t seem that bad...”**_  
  
Sometimes I wish I could just keep my stupid mouth shut.

 

I’ve been running for hours on end and my teenage, pre-pubescent body was starting to get tired of it. I started to slow down and look for some kind of shelter, because if I were to survive this new life, I had to start with a roof over my head. Since I was looking to the sides for somewhere to stay, I didn’t bother to look forward; and because of that I bumped into someone . I looked up to see a boy about my age, just a little bit taller than me. He was wearing the usual peasent clothing, a long, white shirt, matching brown belt and trousers while he donned a pair of knee-high black boots. He had indigo-blue skin, but circular ears, ginger hair and amber eyes.

 

“Are you okay?” The boy asked me, concern in his voice.

 

“I’m alright – you don’t have to worry about me. Just leave me alone.” I replied in a monotone, emotionless voice. But in reality, I wasn’t fine. In fact, I just wanted to reach out to him and shove myself in his chest, sheltering myself from the living hell known as the world. I just wanted to be free from all of this suffering. “You don’t look that way – you’re a mess!” He said as he lowered down to my eye level. “My name is Adam Galanos, what’s yours?”

 

I opened my mouth to speak, but as soon as I was about to make my words and respond I heard the yells of my father ordering me to stay. My hazel eyes widened, but only for a short amount of time. I turned around and saw a man running towards my direction with an enormous sword in his hand. I quickly reacted and began to run but as soon as I did the boy named Adam Galanos had caught my hand just before I was able to go any further. “Um….Mr.Galanos, can you please let go of my hand?” I asked in a pleading voice to him, but he didn’t respond to me; he focused all his attention on my father.

 

“Put that down.” He told him, suddenly picking me up and holding me. I squirmed in his arms because of the strange position, but I somehow felt no fear towards this drow-skinned boy that had ginger hair and human ears. “Man, that’s my kid you got there in your hands, can you give it back to me please?” The man who called himself my father spat towards Adam in a cruel tone. I tried to shrink myself into his chest to get away from my father – Adam noticed this and chuckled. “I wouldn’t give a child back to their father if it was clearly obvious that they were scared of them.” My father was enraged at this.

 

“Why you little…! Give me the kid or else!” He responded in a deadly tone, his brows furrowed, whilst eyes wide and set onto his target. “Or else what?” Adam responded with an innocent, childlike smile. I felt an aura around Adam’s chest, but it didn’t bother me one bit, for some particularly odd reason. I wrapped my arms around his chest, but he lifted me down and placed something into my hand. It was a small, durable pocket knife.

 

“THAT’S IT!” My father yelled while charging with his sword pointing at me and Adam. On instinct, I grabbed the knife and went straight for his neck - red blood spurted out. The man tried to scream. I didn’t stop. I kept attacking his neck. Relentlessly. Again and again. At every possible angle. The man collapsed. I shifted my grip to hold the knife underhand. I came down upon him. I bathed in the bloodspray, and the beautiful snow was dyed in crimson.

 

I knew that the neck was weak.

Because the cat had attacked the mouse’s neck, and rendered it immobile.

My arms were free.

My arms were free.

I was reminded of the black cat. The beautiful black cat that caught the mouse. Her weapon was her fangs. I thought I had no such weapon. That wasn’t so. My weapon was always so close at hand.

 

If you won’t love me, I don’t need you. If you’re loved, but you won’t accept it, I’ll never forgive you. I admitted it. I admitted I hated father. And that I was jealous of him for being loved by the world. But if only my parents could have kept loving me, it would have kept a lid on that hatred.

I could have loved both of them then.

 

I let go of my father’s hate. From the thing I had desperately wanted to hide. As I swallowed his warm blood, I realized. I could breathe. And yet I had convinced myself that if I let go, I wouldn’t be able to. In the depths of a sea of blood, I held my knee and sobbed.

 

That was the real me. I was the same as the people of Skullholme. I avoided looking at the things I didn’t want to see. I wanted to feign ignorance. It certainly existed, but all I did was acknowledge it was there. When I raised my tear-stained face and smiled, a hand reached for me. I took his hand. Just then, the hand became a bloody knife, and I was standing in the entryway. The man before me was collapsed on the snow and spoke no longer.

 

I couldn’t move my limbs, and I felt a bubble in my throat. I felt disgusting. I felt alive. Living shouldn’t have felt this dirty. I had learned from the mouse who had promptly gone limp. But still, had my method been wrong? …Tell me, black cat.

 

Still gripping the knife tightly, I sat down on the floor. Breaths came from the pit of my stomach. My whole body was hot with pain and fatigue, yet my head alone was peaceful. The man, who was my father, was now a mass that emitted an awful odor. Dirty. The sight incited no particular emotion.

 

I looked at his feet. The snow was now completely red with blood. I gently grabbed some of the snow between my fingers and gazed at it. I would have to apologise to the person who laid this snow on the ground. “I’m sorry that I turned your snow red, but it was for a good cause. ”

A drop of blood dripped off the end of the shoe like a tear -

 

_Slump._

 

It came from behind. I heard a door opening from the back of the room. I turned only my head around.

 

It was mother. She slowly emerged from the darkness of the forest, looking at me.

 

The snow slipped out of my fingers and fell to the floor. What made my hand slip wasn’t haste, regret, or fear.…It was a feeling of exaltation. A smile flowed from my mouth. I almost yelped in confusion. I stayed my beating heart to do it. To stand up and move, so mother had a good view of father’s corpse. Her eyes wavered. She pointed to the corpse with one hand and approached.

The light from her lamp clearly illuminated her emaciated body. She was like a worn husk.

Her sunken eyes had a strange glow as he looked at the blood-soaked man’s face.

 

I was excited. Because she might shout “Did you do this?!” Because she might use his hand to punch me. Because finally, I might have mother’s concern. Mother powerlessly kneeled beside the corpse. She held the man’s chin with a shaking hand. Once she confirmed the face, she hugged the body and began to cry like a beast. It briefly surprised me, but she quickly turned to quieter sobbing and moaning.

 

I made an effort to be calm as I whispered,

"I did this."

I told her.

I tried to hide how much I enjoyed it.

"I did this, mother."

I trembled saying the last word. I had called for my mother countless times in dreams, but never before had I actually said it. I was almost moved to tears. Mother looked up briefly, but her wet eyes did not look at me. They returned again to the man’s corpse.

 

I had a bad feeling. My heart had beat with expectation, but my chest filled with something else.

Mother kept calling the man’s name. As if to show my unrest, the flame of the lamp wavered.

"It was me! I did this!" I spread out my arms. A speck of blood flew off. In my wounded right hand, there was still the knife I tightly gripped. My weapon. But mother only continued to cry, and didn’t move an inch. My face went pale.

 

"Mother."

My shouting had become crying.

No matter how much I called her name, he wouldn’t even look at me.

 

… _Why?_

_Why won’t you look at me? Why that man?_

_Why - why must you keep proving how you don’t love me?_

 

"Stop."

 

_Stop. Don’t look at him. I don’t want to see this._

 

As mother’s wailing grew louder, my despair increased. There was noise welling in my ears.

My teeth clattered.

My whole body shook, and I screamed.

**"STOP!!"**

And I swung the knife down to draw the curtain on the hellish scene.

 

I stood in a daze. My right arm was heavy, as if taken by a demonic spirit. Blood - who knows whose - dripped off the end of the knife, making stains on the floor. Mother collapsed on top of father. I saw the two overlapping corpses as leaving no room for me to come between, and it irritated me. She clung onto father to her last moments. Mother saw nothing but father. A life without him was too painful for her.

 

_Right._

_So this is for the best._

 

I slowly backed away from the scene, but I felt someone against me. “May I please have my knife back?” The boy asked me again.

 

Oh, I forgot he was still here.

 

I quickly gave it back to him, forgetting the fact that it was soaked with blood. He greatfully took it back and began to wipe it down with a handkerchief. “Thank you.” I muttered to him. “Thank you for rescuing me.” Adam stiffened after I spoke those two, but kind words. “You’re not afraid of me?” Adam asked me. I shook my head, whilst a little yawn escape my mouth and my eyes started to get heavy. “Oh my goodness, are you tired?” Adam asked. I nodded, as he picked me up. I fell asleep in his arms that night, surrounded by stars.

 

“Come on, I’ll get you cleaned up and take you to my family.”

 

That was the last words I heard, before I passed out.

 


	3. 2 ~ Another Completely Normal Day...almost...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The big walk home. Nothing suspicious here. Move along.

“ _Contamination, sudden abnormal deaths...in this place death is sure to spread quickly; all the factors are in place. Close contact with neighbours, life in an isolated area, a society that handles their matters internally. A town with complicated regional ties and complex blood relations, Yes, the disease will spread quickly; and by the time it is done, this village will be annihilated. It is the cause of demons. In this village there is a legend; a legend that says that those who die with regrets or grudges shall rise from their graves and haunt the living, and wherever they go, calamity is sure to follow. They will wake, wander and bring more people to join them. They will rise among the trees and travel down the dark hill. They will find idle dreamers and fearful folk huddled around dim lights – lights that can do nothing to protect them; and they will strike.”_

 

*** * ***

 

**~Adam~**

 

 

 

All sorts of thoughts swam through my head at this time, because of the drastic, bizarre and unimaginable events that had previously occurred before today. I didn’t know why, but I just couldn’t stop thinking about it.

 

 

_Why was she so afraid of her Father?_

_How did she have the strength to hurt them, even kill them?_

_And why isn’t she afraid of me?_

 

 

I sighed, making my way back to the village whilst carrying her in my arms. _I’ll just ask her when she wakes up. I can’t be bothered to_ _wake her up myself, and she’d probably be annoyed if I did._

I heard the wind. The leaves rustling against each other. I slowly opened my eyes again, and then saw cute bell-shaped flowers looking down on me. The smell of flowers was strong enough to make me choke. Red and blue flowers swayed above my head.

 

 

I could see the dark blue sky, but surrounded by deep green trees, I knew I was in the forest. Suddenly, a cute butterfly flew above my head. My eyes followed it casually.

I almost yawned in the carefree evening air. Soon, the butterfly flew out of sight, so I continued onward. I headed for the exit of the forest. Between the trees around the path had been made a red wall which roses coiled around.

 

 

I brought my nose to the roses.

They didn’t smell of anything.

The petals shone cold like razor blades.

They could have easily sliced into my neck, but showed no sign of it. I wondered why. Did the master of these roses not have any power left? Or was _he_ not determined enough? I quietly smiled and began to walk again. I went up the path to the point where I could go no further.

 

 

The exit to the forest was blocked by a startlingly huge patch of roses.

Nearly twice my size.

Roses that had before been my limbs. Now, they had a different intention, and blocked my path.

I ran my finger along the stems. They were cold and hard like metal.

Unmistakably, they had been a part of my body. And now they were _h_ _is_ own flesh and blood.

 

 

I knew how to make these roses wilt. I knew how to take _her_ body away.

A little bottle came to my mind like a ray of light.

That cute little bottle I had put away in a shelf one day.

I had lived.

For decades, for centuries. My heart being eaten away at by sickness.

 

 

But I was able to live through it all, never despairing, because I had dreamed of this day for many years. When I would obtain a body that would be loved. But do _you_ have what I do?

A reason not to despair in that body. I can’t think of one. _You_ had no legs to stand on the earth, not even a voice to call for help. Betrayed by me, who _you_ thought your friend, _you_ can only writhe in agony in that room.

 

Is there a reason for _you_ not to despair in that situation?

What could make the light of hope shine on _you_?

What could _your_ broken eyes see?

Perhaps _you_ still want to believe me. _You_ stopped me thinking I might give _your_ body back.

…If I’m right, how foolish _you_ were.

 

 

The wind rustled, scattering leaves and petals.

My forelocks were swept up, and I smiled, my back to the roses. …In a moment.

The wind blew, lifting up my hair.

The smell of grass pierced into the back of my nose.

The red rose garden came into my eyes.

 

My children, which I had before only gazed at from inside. As if drawn by the powerful colors, I took one step outside.

Perhaps I should have hesitated to take that step.

The moment my foot stepped onto the ground, I remembered.

I remembered my body, for as soon as I went outside the house, the magic would fade, and it would crumble.

 

 

But I wonder…

 

 

I stood with both feet on the ground.

There was no impact like being punched in the head. No heat like my skin was melting. The body of this human named Adam was separate from the house, existed apart from it.

The backs of my eyes warmed.

Tears which accompanied no pain fell down my cheeks.

 

 

The roses sparkled in the light of the moon, and I felt they applauded me.

Come to think of it, when I came to the house, I heard applause as well.

Then, it was welcoming applause. Celebrating that I had become a warlock. And now, it was farewell. My eyelids closed, and I saw memories that remained with this body.

I knew everything. How I had love in my future, in both directions. What lied ahead for this body.

 

 

I knew it in an instant. And it was mine. …This beloved body.

I held my shoulders as if hugging myself. I wanted to kiss myself. I did so on my left shoulder.

I heard birds taking off and looked up.

I squinted at the strong sunlight.

I didn’t know what the birds were saying anymore.

 

 

I laughed, and ran as if chasing the birds in flight.

A happy wind blew at my back.

Running, running. I left the garden surrounded by roses.

 

 

…I could see my diary.

I had no magic left. I should have just been a normal mortal now. But I could see my room clearly.

My diary was upon on the desk. The feather pen smoothly wrote words on its own.

The final entry in my diary.

My final words.

 

 

“ _I didn’t kill **h** **im.**_

 

 

_Because **he** saved me _

 

 

_from my sickness._

 

 

_So I made **h** **im** my “friend.” _

 

 

_In the end,_

 

 

_**he** saved me. _

 

 

_**he** switched bodies with me. _

 

 

_Because **he** was so kind. _

 

 

_I didn’t kill **h** **im.**_

 

 

_Because **he** saved me _

 

 

_from my sickness._

 

 

_Because **he** was so kind. _

 

 

_Because **he** wouldn’t betray me. _

 

 

_Poor **h** **im.** **.**_

 

 

_Poor **h** **im** **.**_

 

 

_**he** saved me. _

 

 

_Saved me from my sickness._

 

 

_I’m sorry, okay? Thank you, my friend._

 

 

_I’ll live **your** share. _

 

 

_I’ll give **your** share of love to **your** father. _

 

 

_So please, forgive me.”_

 

 

I set the little girl down, trying to get the memories from my past out of my head and reaching for my pocket knife again. I sliced through the roses with it, making my way through the town. The girl in my arms awoke, her hazel orbs looking up towards the stars, as she was facing upwards. Her pupils dilated at the sight of the starlit sky above us, illuminating our way home, guiding us back to the village. When I looked down to see her awake once more, I flinched in surprise, as I found her sleeping several moments ago.

 

 

“You can go back to sleep if you want. It’s already dark, so we’d just be going home to get to bed; there’s really no point in waking up now.” I informed her. She understood, and nodded. She slowly, but surely relaxed herself in my grip. She blew her strawberry-blonde fringe out of her hazel eyes, letting them look up at the beautiful view once more. She let out a small smile while doing so, and I chuckled at that, for she reminded me so much of myself when I was younger.

 

 

The truth is, _I_ loved the stars too. Of course, I could not see them whilst I was trapped inside that luxurious mansion in my past life, but I still enjoyed watching them every single night when the sun went down and the moon went up. I still love them now, but at times I do loathe them, as they remind me of how isolated, secluded and alone I was when I was forbid to leave that place for thousands of centuries.

 

 

The gates of Faith loomed over the both of us, so I kicked them open; and they responded to my foot by opening themselves. I would have used my hands; however, I was still carrying the girl from before, and if I used even one of my hands, I would drop her, and she would fall to the ground and be covered with mud. I believe that she wouldn’t like that, and my belief was so strong I considered it to be a fact.

 

 

As soon as I left the gate and entered the village, I would enter the same void that I loathed. Another disturbed glance, then another, and another. I did not have the luxury of choosing a perfect body, but I was desperate to leave that place; so I only had the choice of a child that was the child of a human woman and a drow man. I donned this new identity, known as Adam Galanos, the ginger-haired, amber-eyed, indigo blue-skinned half-breed; but I never knew all the harassment I would receive if I donned this identity. And now that I do, I would rather stay in that mansion for the rest of my life than live my new life as a half-elf; I slumped my gait and continued onward.

 

 

When I looked downwards, I was met with the same girl that I had taken to my town, and her eyes were filled with curiosity, eyebrows raised and mouth wearing a frown. She was clearly curious as to why I was being glared at in the first place. I shrugged my shoulders in reply, and she didn’t question me without words anymore after that simple gesture. I walked along with her in my arms in silence, until we had made it back to the home of Adrainne and Antonio Galanos. What I am aware of is that Antonio has been gone for some time now, because he is off to work in undercover to secretly overthrow a person that is spreading a disease around this would. I don’t know what this disease is, and how it is spread, but all I know is that it is called chaos; and it’s a very, very infectious disease.

 

 

Finally, we had made it back home and I was wondering how to explain to Adam’s mother that we had to let a girl sleep over for the night. I shrugged again. _I’ll just think of something when I see her._

 

 

I opened the door to see Adrainne Galanos, her long, mousy brown hair tied up in a messy bun, while she was rubbing down a plate with a dirty tea towel. Her eyes soon locked with mine, and her gaze faltered, lowering her eyes down to see the girl in my arms. She opened her mouth, but froze; then, she cleared her throat.

 

 

“Adam, my son. You’re home.” She welcomed me, with a beaming, bright smile on her face. “I thought you’d never come back – I was really worried. And who do we have here?” She walked over to me, looking down at the girl that was in my arms, still keeping that smile that could melt an entire glacier on her face. “It seems we have a visitor. Tell me, girl; what is your name?”

 

 

The girl jumped out of my arms, and tidied her clothing by wiping herself down. She fixed her hair and smoothed it with her fingertips, then lowered her head. “ _Sara_.” The young girl spoke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaand….That’s all for now, folks! I’ve decided to separate this fanfic into three separate stories, all will be on my profile as the fic drags along. The three of them will all consist of five chapters with one, single arc playing out in each of them.  
> They will be labelled as:
> 
> I: Vide Stellas (Memory Arc)  
> II: Quod Vero De Chaos Et Timor (Infiltrating Chaos Arc)  
> III: Auxilium (Journey To Freedom Arc)
> 
> (I’m bad at naming arcs....sorry!)
> 
> Also, those who have read my previous version of this story and version of the story will be confused at the start of Adam’s perspective – the truth is, in this remake, Adam Galanos isn’t who you think he is….
> 
> (You’ve probably already guessed what happened as I have a habit of foreshadowing, but the truth is when I foreshadow, 70% of the time I give the entire plot away in one sentence. Ahh, I’m so silly!)
> 
> Ciao for now – see you in the next chapter!
> 
> With love, from Matt.


	4. 3 ~ Dinnertime Tragedies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back home in the Galanos home, a tragic message is passed on to dearest Adrainne, which will tear apart the entire family...

“ _I think death is equally terrible for everyone. Young people, old people, the good, the bad; it is always the same. It is rather fair in its treatment. There is no such thing as a particularly terrible death, that is why it is frightening. Your behaviour and age, your personality, your wealth, beauty, your personal beliefs; all the things that add up to make us who we are, they only matter while we are alive. Death makes every last one of them null and void. So any death is terrible. Meanwhile, our village has been striken by a virulent plague; there is no doutbing that – and yet, it feels as if something else is at work; as if something is operating outside the village, some that I cannot quite see. There is danger lurking out there. It lives in the groves of trees – it feels as if those trees that have so long surrounded our village are now populated with demons. They are watching.”_

 

 

*** * ***

 

**~Sara~**

 

 

“I’m afraid another person has died today, Adam.” Mrs Galanos sighed, while pouring out a cup of tea for each of us. “It’s so frightening….it seems like the entire village is dropping like flies. I’m scared that one of us will be next.” She focused on each of our teacups as she poured the dark, see-through liquid into each of them. “Mother, that’s absurd – _please_ don’t think that!” Adam snapped, banging his fist onto the table.

 

 

We had settled ourselves down to eat supper before now, as it was the time of day when the Galanos family would sit down and eat together. “I’m sorry, Adam….” Mrs Galanos apologised, setting down her teapot and wrapping her arms around her son, sheltering him from the world. I am surprised that Adam and this woman are related, even more surprised that she is the woman that gave birth to him; they are complete opposites in the appearance category, yet I would expect her to be somewhat similar to him as she is her mother. But they’re not. In fact, I theorised that she would have amber eyes, somewhat tan skin and ginger hair the same as Adam – but instead she has brown hair, blue eyes and is caucasian. How did that happen? Perhaps she just carries a recessive gene for it; I shouldn’t worry about this so much.

 

 

“Can’t we just get my uncle, your brother-in-law to come here and stop it?” Adam asked, tapping his fingernails on the oak table, looking around the room in boredom. Mrs Galanos sighed once more, and kneeled down beside us, taking her hands in Adam’s. “My sister’s husband may be a great king, but that doesn’t mean that he can stop a killer plague. His army may be enormous and strong, but they still have weaknesses like any regular army does. I don’t think even he can stop it.” Mrs Galanos slowly explained to her son, her blue gaze focusing into his amber one.

 

 

Adam looked away from her, folded his arms and huffed. “Well, he can still _try.”_ Adam muttered to himself, looking down at the floor. “Can’t we just summon him anyway? Get someone to go there, send a letter, or something….” He trailed off, unfurling his arms and placing them back to his sides. Mrs Galanos walked back to the teacups and finished pouring the last drop inside the pot into the third cup. “I would go there myself. But the truth is, I haven’t heard from them ever since the disease first broke out; my sister, her husband and her child could be infected; or worse, all three of them could be dead.” She trembled while she spoke. “I just hope your father’s doing alright in that place up in the mountains; Dwarfhold, wasn’t it?”

 

 

Adam nodded. “The new ruler is spreading the disease there, isn’t he?” He lowered his head once more and growled. “Such a _coward_. If I found out I was infected, I would kill myelf immediately so I wouldn’t infect anyone else. But this man is parading around giving people the disease! That’s despicable!” He gripped his fists in anger, nearly kicking the table; but I gave him a look which made him stop.

 

 

“I know, my son. I know….” Mrs Galanos calmed him in a soothing voice, then turning to me. “Do you take tea and sugar, my dear?” She asked. I looked at the small china cups, and how they were decorated with such beauty. One had the most delicate pink roses painted onto them, one had the most prettiest blue mermaid scales on them, and the third one had an entire flock of birds painted on them, all in different colours; it made me gasp in awe because of the wide variety of teacups this woman had – back in Skullholme, we only had one type of tea cup each; but I was never allowed to touch them, as they were so fragile. If I did, I would be punished.

 

 

“30% milk and two lumps.” I told Mrs Galanos, who was listening to my tea order and smiled at me. “It seems you’re a fan of milk, like myself. My husband and my son can’t stand it in their tea!” She chuckled, pouring the milk into the pink cup and adding the sugar lumps. She slowly lifted it up at the handle, holding the saucer at the bottom of the cup itself as to not burn herself, and gave it to me. I copied her movements as she gave the cup to me since I didn’t want to do what she feared she might have done to herself. Adam rolled his eyes when I stirred the spoon inside the cup. “Seriously?! You take _MILK_?!” He raised his eyebrows, asking in a sharp tone. “Ugh! You’re _disgusting_ ; milk is a disgrace to Lorithia!”

 

 

Mrs Galanos laughed at Adam’s reaction. “Oh, Adam; you’re so funny! I can’t believe you still think that now!” She clapped her hands as she was very giddy afterwards. “And you liked milk so much when you were younger….” She slowly turned towards me and met my gaze, curious as to why I had suddenly looked down. “Are you alright, miss Sara?” She walked over to me and felt my head, surprised when she realised that it was scalding hot. “Oh my, Adam! She’s burning up!” She turned to her son. “Quickly; get an ice pack and some cold water!”

 

 

Adam quickly scrambled to his feet and went to the kitchen, disappearing out of my sight. I felt myself get hotter and hotter, and as I felt myself increase in heat, my vision started to leave me. I mumbled and muttered, saying words that sounded incombrehensible, but I knew exactly what they were, for I had heard these words many, many times before back at the place that was my home, though I considered it a living hell.

 

 

_What are they going to do this time? Will they hurt me? Will they not give me dinner? Will they lock me out? Will they beat me until I scream and beg for them to stop? What will they do?_

 

 

_I sighed, opening the door quietly. I noticed that nobody was in the hallway waiting for me so I quickly started going up the stairs to avoid eye’s notice._

 

 

“ _And where the hell have you been?” A deep voice called out for me. Shit. I quickly turned around to see a tall male with brown hair and brown eyes. “Oh, good afternoon Father! I’m sorry for being late; I was just getting some help from Mr Skellington. I got quite an embarrassing test result yesterday so he’s now going to help me at times afterschool when I find things difficult in his class.” I smiled._

 

 

“ _Don’t you dare lie to me – you know I would’ve been notified. That’s strike two down….” Father tutted, holding a photo. “And what is this?” He asks, a grin now donned his face, stretching from ear to ear. It was a picture of a beautiful young lady with strawberry blonde hair and hazel eyes – her hair was in low twintails, and she was holding the hand of a young boy with black, spiky hair and dark, green eyes with bags underneath them. The green-eyed man was kissing the hazel-eyed girl on the cheek, and she was smiling, consenting to the romantic gesture. As soon as I saw the photo, my heart sank._

 

 

“ _T-that’s me and my best friend, Skudly….” I said, looking down and twiddling my thumbs. I couldn’t believe it – why did he have it? “You don’t seem like you’re friends – and what does it mean to you?” He asked, a glare that stared deep into my soul. I forced myself not to flinch underneath his controlling gaze. “It means a lot, a lot more than I can explain. I’m sorry.” I muttered._

 

 

“ _Oh. So would you mind if I did this?” He asked, making me look up in curiosity. He put his fingers in the middle of the top of the photo and pulls his hands opposite ways, making the paper tear.”STOP IT!” I yelled, and in my anger I thumped him on the chest and slapped his face, attempting to make him stop; he didn’t. “That’s strike three.” He chuckled. “You’re out!” He tore the paper to shreds and grabbed me by the collar of my shirt. He grabbed the ends of my scarf and tied a knot with it._

 

_  
“If you make a single sound, I will pull harder; you got it, you **disgusting,** filthy whore?” He whispered in my ear, asking me. I quickly nodded as I understood. I didn’t have any time to reply as he set his hands on both ends of the scarf and he pulls at them at the same time. The air that was once in my lungs were now cut off, and I gagged on reflex. It was small, short, and it was very little in volume; yet he heard it._

 

 

“ _Oh? Did I hear something?” Father questioned, putting a hand up to his ear. “I think I did! What a shame, I wasn’t going to do anything to you today, but….you’ve now given me a reason to. Sorry, sweetheart.” He told me, saying in a false apologetic voice, then laughing at me. He tore off the scarf and pinned me to the wall by my neck as I gasped for air. “You’re **disgusting**. I don’t know what people see in you these days. All I see is a filthy, gross, punching bag. I can’t wait until you’re dead.” _

 

 

_My vision became dark as he dropped me, then walked away._

 

 

“SARA!”

 

 

I heard a scream which awoke me from sleep; when I opened my eyes, I was met with Adam’s face extremely close to mine. I gasped at this since I didn’t expect it and nearly kicked him off me in shock. “It’s good that you’re awake, miss Sara. We were getting very worried!” Mrs Galanos told me. “Let me tell you a little secret, if you don’t mind hearing it – Adam was very, very, very worried! In fact, he was even more worried than I was and I worry a lot. I think he thought you weren’t going to wake up!”  
  


“MOTHER, STOP!” Adam snapped in anger. He was clearly flustered as his indigo-blue skin turned bright purple, similar to that of an aubergiene. “I wasn’t….worried! I was just….just….concerned! Yep, yep….I was concerned for her health! I mean, that’s normal, right?! RIGHT?!” Adam let out a long, false and loud laugh to mask the fact that he was truly worried for me. I sighed at that.

 

 

“You don’t have to lie. Thanks for being concerned.” I said, stretching my arms and yawning, looking at him. “No one has been concerned for me before.” I lowered my head once more, sighing again. “….Okay, okay! I was worried for her! Is that a problem, mother?!” Adam turned back to his mother and yelled. His mother was about to respond, however, a woman entered the room I was currently sleeping in and the sound of the door opening interrupted her words which was somewhat of a comeback.

 

 

“Adrainne Galanos….I’m sorry, but….we’ve heard news about your husband, Antonio Galanos’ mission in Dwarfhold, and….it’s not good news.” The woman whimpered, and as soon as I heard her tone of voice, I knew something bad had happened to Adam’s father. “Your husband is dead. I’m sorry for your loss.” She shook as she spoke these words. “He was a great man, wasn’t he? I’ll leave you alone for some time to get this through your head. I’ll be back tomorrow so we can organise a funeral.”

 

 

The woman who delievered the bad news slowly and ominously closed the door on us three, and Mrs Galanos did not respond to Adam’s previous saying; I think she forgot about it altogether, for the loss of her husband was currently rendering her immobile to even turn around, let alone speak. I can’t imagine how the loss must’ve felt for her, it must’ve been so awful on the poor woman. Poor her….

 

 

“Adam, I’m sorry, but I have to pop out for a while.” Adrainne Galanos spoke in a cold, harsh tone towards her son, without any emotion present. “Please, keep an eye on Sara. Make sure she is never harmed….” She never even turned around to both of us at all when she spoke those final words. When I think about it now, I think the reason why she didn’t turn around is because of the sorrow in her heart was too great, to the point where if her own son saw her crying, he would lose the belief that his mother is a strong warrior that is supposed to comfort him through his struggles and protect him from all the farm he may face in his life. She opened the door that the woman came through, and never came back until the next morning.

 

 

When I turned to Adam, there were fresh tears spilling from his eyes. He realised I was looking at him and gasped, quickly wiping them. “I’m sorry….crying is known as a form of weakness, isn’t it? But I can’t help it….my father died, and he was just so young….” Adam sobbed in his arm. I wrapped my own arms around him as a form of comfort. “So? What does it matter if they were young?” I asked in curiosity, tilting my head to the side because this opinion was deemed as quite strange back in Skullholme.

 

 

“Sara….aren’t you upset that he died so young? He died while he was only thirty seven years of age – don’t you find that strange? Don’t you find it strange that he died so young? Don’t you feel as if his life was just snatched away?” Adam questioned me, grabbing onto my shoulders to try and get me to answer his question. I shook off his shoulders and I turned away from him, staring at the door that Adrainne Galanos left through.

 

 

“I think death is equally terrible for everyone. Young people, old people, the good, the bad; it is always the same. It is rather fair in its treatment. There is no such thing as a particularly terrible death, that is why it is frightening. Your behaviour and age, your personality, your wealth, beauty, your personal beliefs; all the things that add up to make us who we are, they only matter while we are alive. Death makes every last one of them null and void. So any death is terrible.” I responded, without giving him a single glance. He raised an eyebrow at this response and sighed at it. “You have a point….but his life was just snatched away from him, it seems sad, doesn’t it?”

 

 

I nodded. “Come on, we should get to bed, _friend_.” Adam told me, tucking the covers in so I couldn’t escape. He slowly made it over to another side of the room, where another bed resided. He took off his shoes and slid into bed, resting his head against the pillow. I turned my head away from him, looking up at the night sky that was on my left side. I ran my finger against the window, looking at the stars who were twinkling throughout the night that seemed endless. Soon, I drifted off to sleep infront of that starry scenery once again.

 


	5. 4 ~ Something's Wrong...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tragedy after tragedy. It just seems to be never ending...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies if any canon characters act ooc. I’m awful at writing people.

“ _The village is surrounded by death on all sides. There is no other way to describe it; we are surrounded. Someone, or something, has contrived to isolate us completely from the rest of the world. Outside help is denied, we have only ourselves. Someone has simply cut us off. Though it seems absurd, demons do exist; their actions could mimic the progress of a plague. To admit their existence would shatter our understanding of the world, and to deny their existence would prevent us from understanding the plague that is even now disseminating the village. Whichever course we take, one thing remains certain; our lives will be changed beyond recognition.”_

 

*** * ***

 

**~Sara~**

 

 

The following day, under a heavy cloud of rain, the body of Antonio Galanos would be committed to the ground. Meanwhile, the spreaders of the illness once again would slip away from the crime that they had committed that day. An apparent good friend of Adam’s father, who somehow managed to escape injury, explained to everyone the events of the previous night and many people who I did not know were cleared of any suspicion. Everyone at the funeral felt a terrible sorrow at the loss of Antonio Galanos, their good friend, husband, or father; and the heavens, too, wept tears of grief. The rain would continue until dawn, which was to be the start of a new day….

 

 

After the funeral itself, I sat with Adam’s mother inside a waiting room of sorts. Whilst his mother had her hands wrapped around herself, trying to make her stay sane, I just didn’t know what to say. When I tried to say something, a boy walked in and took away my chance to speak. He had blonde hair and blue eyes similar to oceans, his skin was lightly tanned and he wore large circular glasses. “Um….sorry, I er….” he stammered awkwardly. Adam’s mother knew what he was saying, as she nodded in response.

 

 

“I’m-I’m so shocked by all of this! I mean, Antonio was so….” He tried to speak. “C..come on….you can say something more than that!” he muttered under his breath. He quickly met gazes with me since I had mine locked on him. I ignored him, and turned to Adam’s mother. “May I please see his body?” I asked her. She gave me no response with words from her mouth, and instead she just pointed to the other side of the room, next to an open door leading to a hallway. I quickly got up and made my way to the coffin.

 

 

When I was met with the coffin itself, all I could hear were muffled cries from the countless number of people around me. The room had a shiny oak coffin in it, displayed on the wall was a man with indigo-blue skin, elongated elven ears, white hair and ice blue eyes; similar to those of the glaciers from the Frozen Northlands. I suspected this to be Antonio Galanos. The area was littered with flowers of every single kind; roses, tulips, chrysantemums, bartzella, pansies, cosmos and so much more that if I were to label every single type of flower in that room I would be in here all day. The room was an antihophile’s dream come true, filled with blue, purple, pink, red, yellow and white flowers littered around the coffin. I noticed that there was a little, small door at the top of the coffin, just where the face of the corpse would reside, and I plucked up the courage to ask one, little question.

 

 

“May I….see his face?” I asked Adam, who just so happened to be in the room of his dead father. “Of course.” Adam responded, getting up to open the door for me. I walked over to the small door itself, looking deep in to the coffin. I was met with a sight that was completely different to the portrait that I saw just in a matter of seconds ago; his skin was now dark, possibly even darker than obsidan itself – he had no hair on his head at all. He was in fact, the complete opposite of the man in the photo.

 

 

“It’s like an empty shell.” I muttered to myself. “I wonder….I wonder where he went. I wish there was a way to find him.” I gripped my fists and sighed at the figure that rested in that coffin – the figure that was supposed to be Adam’s father. “Believe me, so do we.” Adam heard me rambling, and agreed with my words. I turned to him and bowed my head as a form of apology. “I’m so sorry….I just don’t know what to say at a time like this. Nothing sounds right.” I apologised. “It’s just….it’s just so….frustrating!” I gripped my fists in anger, because of my disgusting feelings.

 

 

_Why can’t I just feel empathy for him? Why do I just feel cold?_

 

 

_What’s wrong with me that I can’t even shed a tear for Adam and his family?_

 

 

“I understand, it’s just too much.” Adam sighed. “I’m just so mad that he’s gone. I feel so lost….” He whimpered, and dived straight into my chest. I wrapped my arms around Adam, in an attempt to comfort him. I decided to take him back to his mother so they could be together once more. When I had got back to the waiting room, it seems that the boy with glasses was yapping on to Adam’s mother.

 

 

“Antonio was one of a kind, a genuinely nice guy. Our baseball went into the liquor store’s yard, and Antonio volunteered to get it, knowing that the old man would lay into him! Remember that, Adrainne?” He continued to gloat on and on about Adam’s father, not knowing that it would’ve made his mother weep even more for her husband that had been taken away from her. “Let’s see….oh! There was that other time when we all went fishing….” He trailed off, to see me and Adam entering the room.

 

 

He walked over to us, glaring deep into my soul. “What’s this? You’re not even gonna cry?” He asked me, in a bitter tone. “Antonio’s dead, gone for good! And all that you’re gonna do is SULK?!” He shouted. Instead of responding, I just looked away from him – since I didn’t even know how to respond to this. “How cold can you be? Do you have _any_ feelings?” He lightly kicked me in the shins repeatedly to try and make me look at him and reply. “Or are you just too _cool_ for that, huh?” When I finally looked up at him, he jerked back, and hid behind Adam’s mother.

 

 

“Just go away.” I replied to his insults, pointing at the door to the exit. Instead of him leaving, like he should have done, he just got even angrier at me. “I’m not going anywhere, you hear me?!” He shouted in anger, grabbing me by my tie. I sighed once more, looking down at the ground. “If you want to fight, I’d be happy to oblige to you some other time. But not here and not now; so calm down and behave yourself.”

 

“SHUT UP, KID! I’M OLDER, DON’T BOSS ME AROUND!” He continued to scream and scream, similar to that of a newborn – he just wouldn’t shut up until he got his way. “That’s right; you’re almost a full grown man, are you not? Then act like it.” I spat at him with no remorse. Unfortunately, that was the final straw for the blue-eyed man with glasses. He flared up in an unstoppable rage, one I had never, ever seen before; even living in an abusive household. “I’VE HAD IT WITH YOUR STUPID MOUTH!” He shouted at the top of his voice.

 

 

“ENOUGH ALREADY!” Adrainne Galanos shouted louder than him, similar to that of a shrieking siren, and she silenced him. “It’s time for you to leave – get out now!” She grabbed him and threw him out of the building. “What…? You’re upset with _me_? Why aren’t you yelling at _her_? Don’t you see how cold she is?!” The blue-eyed man tried to argue with Adrainne Galanos, but she quickly interrupted him before he could finish his sentence. “No, you’re the one being cold, Hans!”

 

 

“How can you think that? I’m not cold! I’m mourning Antonio; I’m sad about his death! Haven’t I said that over and over?” He bit back at the woman, who just continued to destroy him from the inside. “Have you even thought about how _we_ are? He was our relative, not yours!” She shouted at him, still trying to make him leave the building.

 

 

“Antonio was like a sibling to me, except a lot better than the one I have!” He continued and continued to relentlessly fight her, yet she was having none of it. “I can’t believe you! You come here acting like it’s all about _you_ , and how sad _you_ are, what about our grief?!” She lashed out at him again and again. “Tell me, did you come here today to give us comfort, or did you come here because you wanted us to comfort you?!”

 

 

He wailed, and with a loud shout, he went off; away from the house, away from the village, away from the town itself. “Mother….don’t you think you were a little too harsh on him?” Adam asked her. “He was Antonio’s childhood friend. After all, they’ve been together since they were children. I think he would’ve wanted Hans to be here.” When Adam said that, Adrainne trembled, and then fell to her knees.

 

 

“I….Adam, I’m sorry….I’m just….I’m just too weak to go through with this. I was a bit harsh on him, but….” She muttered, then her muttering turned to sobs. “Oh, I’ve been so awful! Please, would you two go and fetch him? Immediately!” She got up and pointed outside. Me and Adam quickly scrambled to our feet, as her tone of voice was quite loud, and we went on the search to find the blonde haired, blue-eyed man named Hans.

 

 

It was very dark outside, and it was very wet. The fog outside made it very difficult for me to see past my nose; and because of the very thick fog, I somehow managed to wander off and leave Adam alone – I didn’t even realise it at first, and I only recognised Adam’s presence when I realised that I felt his hand against mine, desperate for comfort inside the dark, cold, thick and foggy night. When I could no longer feel his hand, I suddenly felt as if a part of me broke off and vanished – I never realised how dependent I was on anyone near me if it was dark. I think it was because of something that had happened in the past, but….when was that again? A few years ago?

 

 

The truth is, I didn’t have enough time to think about this; as by the time I had finally made it out of the fog, I was met with a sight that was the complete opposite of reality. I was met with Hans – but he was strange. I was met with Hans repeatedly kicking a bunch of door shutters. I assumed he had been locked out of his house. “Stupid jerks….lock me out?! I’m SICK of people treating me like dirt around here!” He growled and screamed, taking his anger out on the shutters. I wanted to say something, but the truth is, by the time I opened my mouth to speak, we both saw a strange, murky figure that walked in front of us, going to the back of the building that Hans was trying to get into. “What the….who’s that?” Hans asked himself, thinking that no one was behind him. Instead of doing the normal thing and walking away from that place until morning, he decided to walk over to the back of the building to confront the shadowy figure himself.

 

 

I followed behind him, trying to keep up with him. “I….I think it went inside my house!” He spoke, walking over to the door. He was able to turn the doorknob and open the door to get inside, however, he suddenly noticed my presence and turned to look at me. He was going to speak, I was sure of it – as I saw his mouth open wide, but he was unable to finish that sentence and he would never, ever have the chance to finish it again. I still wonder what he would have said to me, but I guarantee he would not show kindness.

 

 

The shadowy figure leapt from out of nowhere and atttacked him – biting deep into his jugular with its fangs, draining him from every single drop of blood he had in his body. I saw Hans’ sclera turn blue, to match with his ocean blue eyes – his lips turned dark, and his body turned violet purple. Hans whimpered and gasped at the impact. I suspect that he was unable to scream in agony, because his neck was being impaled; this would prevent him from doing this to attract attention.

 

 

That killer sure is smart, are they not?

 

 

While Hans was struggling, he violently twitched, as if he had tourettes or his body was preparing to have a seizure. He reached out to me, tears coming from his blue eyes. His tears fell from both his eyes, fusing together at the bottom of his chin, and then they left his chin and became one with the ground. This cycle was present until he stopped moving.

 

 

For the strangest reason, I did not run away. If I had witnessed such a crime being committed back in my old home, I would turn around and leave as fast as I could to stop the killer from finding me. But I didn’t. I couldn’t. I felt like my feet were glued to the ground and I couldn’t even back away the slightest. I was trapped, with no escape. Once this disgusting being was finished with Hans, he would then come for me, just like Hans. He would attack me without any mercy, just like Hans. He would drain all the blood in my body, just like Hans.

 

 

The killer’s fangs left Hans’ neck, and the blonde boy fell to the ground. The creature clearly appeared to have broken his neck, as it now appeared longer and was bent in such a way that even a master gymnast couldn’t replicate. His shimmering blue eyes were replaced with cold, dead gray ones that bore into mine, and they stared right into my soul. I stared right back for what seemed like an eternity. The way his life was taken brought a chill right down my spine. Two minutes ago, this man was walking, talking, and he had a mind of his own. He had jaw-length, shimmering blonde curls, and the eyes of a thousand oceans. But all he is now is just a corpse on the floor. It was so quick, if I blinked, I would’ve missed it. And that’s what scared me the most.

 

 

Then, I met the gaze of the psychotic, nefarious and corrupted killer. They began to stomp over Hans’ corpse without a second thought or a second glance, just to get to me. Every stomp they took, I felt myself quiver, and a little part of me on the inside withered away.

 

This was it.

 

 

I was going to die.

 

 

That’s what I told myself, over and over. I knew that I was unable to overpower this being. It stood around 7 foot tall. It had no face; no lips, no nose, no eyebrows. Absolutely nothing. All it had for a face was a black hole, and slit, orange eyes. Their hair was spiky, and the colour of obsidan – their hair blended into their face of darkness. They had torn, raven wings, that took up almost the entire area. I felt them mocking me with every step they took.

 

 

They had an eye on where their heart would reside. A glaring, purple eye, that had a black eyelid. It was mocking me too.  
“Hahahaha! You’re going to die!~ That’s sooooo sad!” The evil eye laughed at me. I felt no remorse for this eye. This eye was pure evil – nothing more, nothing less. Just like the killer that was walking over to me so they could draw the curtain on my life.

 

 

Of course, my conversation with the eye was only imaginery. The eye’s voice, thoughts and feelings existed only in my head and nowhere else. It was only a hallucination; nothing more, nothing less. But it harshly impacted me. I felt that I had been struck by a sword, and blood dripped out from my imaginary wound. I would be unable to heal this wound, as it is impossible to heal the invisible. I was going to die.

 

 

“Oh, my. You sure are a tenacious one, aren’t you?” The faceless figure chuckled, then started to laugh at me. “That was quite sneaky. I didn’t even see you until I finished with him. How interesting….” They then decided to get even closer, so that there was hardly any space between us. Because of this, their mask faded, and their face regained colour. I was met with the face of a young man. He possibly could’ve been in his late twenties, or even younger. He was so young. I was shocked. He had cold, emerald green eyes that seemed unfeeling, and he looked like he hadn’t slept properly for ages; I predicted that his last decent sleep was when he was inside of his mother, still only a fetus.

 

 

“Do you wear eyeliner?” I asked. “Because if you do, it’s smudged.” I realised this was a very stupid question to ask, but I just wanted to have a chuckle before I would meet my demise. You couldn’t entirely blame me, right?

 

 

For some reason, my attempt of a joke actually shook him. “Shit!” He cursed, and turned away from me, frantically rubbing his face. It seems as if he wore eyeliner after all. “This is PENCIL! Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!” He started to scream at the top of his voice, and then went into a tantrum. I sighed.

 

 

“W-well anyway….” The murderous man huffed, and turned back to me, changing the topic. “If you tell anyone about me, I’ll come back and kill you. Got that?” He glared right at me with a smirk. “I don’t expect you to come and find me, but I’ll be watching you from now on.” His smile began to widen and soon he began grinning from ear to ear. “You have piqued my interest, young girl. I’ll come back for you….one day.”

 

 

Before I could say another word, he disintegrated into shadows, right before my eyes. He was gone. It was like he wasn’t even there beforehand. But I knew I wasn’t imagining things – I saw him. I saw him appear out of nowhere. I saw him attack Hans. I saw him kill Hans. He committed murder, and acted as if he had done nothing wrong in the first place. That made me feel sick to the stomach. How could someone do such a thing? If I committed such a sin, I wouldn’t live with myself. But he did it as if it was completely normal to do so.

 

 

How strange….

 

 

All of a sudden, I heard rampaging footsteps, and then a voice. I quickly turned around to see Adam Galanos, the boy that I got seperated from in the fog. Then, when he saw what was in front of me, he stopped dead in his tracks. Of course, I knew what was awaiting behind me. But he didn’t. His face scruched up, and his eyes widened in fear. He collapsed to his knees in shock. Tears fell down his face like a waterfall. He mumbled something underneath his breath, but I never knew what.

 

 

“What happened?” Adam asked me, as soon as he was able to understand the seriousness of this situation and had taken all of this in. “How did he….” Adam soon trailed off, for he was so shocked he could barely conjugate even the simplest and shortest sentences. I remembered the secret that I swore to keep, for my life was on the life. I remembered that man. I remembered how he murdered Hans in cold blood.

 

 

But I didn’t tell Adam the truth.

 

 

“I don’t know….” I replied, fidgeting a little while telling my lie. “When I got seperated from you, I tried to look for you. But I wasn’t looking where I was going, and I ended up here. Next thing I knew….I was in a place I didn’t know and Hans was on the ground, dead.” When I told this lie, I kept my hands behind my back, praying that he wouldn’t be able to see through my words and realise that I was telling a fib.

 

 

I didn’t tell Adam the truth. Why is that?

It’s because I was in fear of my own life. I feared that that man would come back. I feared that he would kill me. I feared that he would kill me the same way that he killed Hans – quick, simple, and cold-blooded. I feared that my life was going to end, and I wouldn’t be able to do all the things I hoped to do in my life.

 

 

Adam sighed in frustration as soon as I said that. “Aww….damn it. I guess we better head back to mother, then. She sure won’t be happy about this.” He turned around, crossing his arms. “First her husband, now one of her closest friends? Damn….”

 

  
“Don’t tell her the truth.” I muttered.

 

 

Adam, with his superior hearing due to his elven heritage heard my whisper. “What?!” He turned around in shock. “You mean….lying to her about this? But it’ll break her heart!”

“Isn’t her heart already broken?” I asked. “Just keep this a secret between you and me. Nobody has to know about this.”

 

 

“But….but she’s my mother….” Adam responded. “I can’t keep a secret from her.”

 

 

“Everybody has secrets, Adam.” I told him. “Don’t you have secrets?”

I turned around, and walked back to the cottage that Adam and Adrainne resided.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of went with this AU idea that chaos lords and their champion are sort of like vampires in a way. (And yes, Drakath just killed Hans. Why did you do that, Drak? Whyy? :( ) But, they’re a little more overpowered. So here’s a little profile about how a lord/champion would chaorrupt a person. 
> 
> So basically in this AU anyone aligned with chaos is cursed. They’re marginalised and they’re forsaken by the gods of Lore. (Kind of like werepyres.) Chaos lords, depending on their power, cannot eat regular food. (For example, the low-levelled lords, 1-6, can live on a regular diet but cannot eat normal food unless they consume blood, and high-levelled lords and the champion cannot eat normal food at all and must survive on blood.) Chaos lords can only drink the blood of an entirely pure mortal – this is also how they chaorrupt in this AU. Once a chaos lord has drained at least half of a pure mortal’s blood, they will end up infecting that mortal and then drain their sanity until they believe that the only right path is chaorruption; they will learn to believe that chaos is beautiful and is the only way to success in life. So the chaos will take hold of their bodies and then they’ll become a blood-sucker. Mmmm.  
> What I mean by “entirely pure mortal” is that the mortal cannot be infected by any other disease and must be physically and mentally healthy. If a chaos lord drinks the blood of a mortal that is considered impure, they will become ill themselves and will die, depending on how much they drink. A chaos lord’s wounds will heal quickly; a papercut closes up in approximately 3 seconds, deeper cuts fully close up in about 15-30 minutes, depending on how long it is. They also do not age while being apart of chaos – this makes them immortal. 
> 
> Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean they’re invincible. Chaos lords can die by decapitation, amputation and loss of too much blood. (They may be able to heal cuts, but they can’t grow back limbs. Eren Jaeger will get a lot of hate from them for this.) Their eyes also glow purple/pink in the dark, orange if they’re champion. Cool. 
> 
> So um….this is what I have for this chaos lord vampire AU right now. I might update this later, but you know. I might not. Too lazy. 
> 
> Cya!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The finale for the Memory Arc is here. I wonder...what will little Miss Dreadgood come across?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I’m not mistaken, this is the 5th chapter; which means this is the final chapter of I: Vide Stellas, also known as the Memory Arc. Once I’m done with this chapter, I’ll post it here and then I’ll begin working on a cover page for the Chaos Infiltration Arc. I’ve got so many cool ideas for the new arc, such as, er….
> 
> 1\. I possibly might write about a chaos lord meeting, where all the chaos lords come together and Drakath will lead them in some top secret mission. It won’t end up well.
> 
> 2\. Maybe a time where they all go out to a tavern to celebrate, and then the protagonist gets eyed up by some pedos, which results in Vath crossdressing to save her skin(because of his elven heritage he could actually get away with it. He also has the female jaw base in game, haha.); then he gets beat up by the men once they realise it’s a trap! 
> 
> 3\. Reunion with Siobbhan (because Brianna on Wattpad gave me the idea and I think it’s brilliant!)
> 
> 4\. Reunion with Adam (because uh….they have to have a reunion, otherwise we won’t be able to properly progress with the story.)
> 
> 5\. I might add P.O.V’s from the other chaos lords so we can get the gist about how they feel about this matter. (Please prepare for them acting ooc. Please.) Like, Iaoda could get close to her because he’s basically like a teacher in The Span (ugh, the span….such a tedious arc, but it was worth it nonetheless. POOR IAODA, MY SWEET BABY YOU DID NOT DESERVE THIS FATE!!!) Or Vath could get attached because of his tragic past n’ stuff. The protagonist, Sara, could possibly resemble Xeven/His beloved in a way to him and so wants to protect her. Or her and Wolfwing could bond over their hatred for the world. The chaos lords will also try to act superior, but in the end they’re actually really scared of dying of something like that! Wowie!
> 
> Now, enough of my rambling. Let’s get going.

“ _Most mortal societies have two things in common; the belief in the almighty, and the fear of de_ _ath._ _Some of those who fear their own mortality will seek an existence that transcends death. Ultimately, we all must die; but what if someone found a way to circumvent death - not to prevent it, but to erase its permanence? To create a living death, a cursed and bloody existence. We cannot ignore death. We try to understand it, to shift the unknown into areas more familiar, more expliciable. We create stories to help us deal with the immutability of death;_ _one such story haunts us now – the legend of particular demons who roam this world. But a legend is not proof. The story is not reality; we can_ _no_ _t be certain that they exist, not yet.”_

 

*** * ***

 

_ ~Sara~ _

 

 

“What happened?” Adam asked me, as soon as he was able to understand the seriousness of this situation and had taken all of this in. “How did he….” Adam soon trailed off, for he was so shocked he could barely conjugate even the simplest and shortest sentences. I remembered the secret that I swore to keep, for my life was on the life. I remembered that man. I remembered how he murdered Hans in cold blood.

 

 

But I didn’t tell Adam the truth.

 

 

“I don’t know….” I replied, fidgeting a little while telling my lie. “When I got seperated from you, I tried to look for you. But I wasn’t looking where I was going, and I ended up here. Next thing I knew….I was in a place I didn’t know and Hans was on the ground, dead.” When I told this lie, I kept my hands behind my back, praying that he wouldn’t be able to see through my words and realise that I was telling a fib.

 

 

I didn’t tell Adam the truth. Why is that?

It’s because I was in fear of my own life. I feared that that man would come back. I feared that he would kill me. I feared that he would kill me the same way that he killed Hans – quick, simple, and cold-blooded. I feared that my life was going to end, and I wouldn’t be able to do all the things I hoped to do in my life.

 

 

Adam sighed in frustration as soon as I said that. “Aww….damn it. I guess we better head back to mother, then. She sure won’t be happy about this.” He turned around, crossing his arms. “First her husband, now her one of her closest friends? Damn….”

 

  
“Don’t tell her the truth.” I muttered.

 

 

Adam, with his superior hearing due to his elven heritage heard my whisper. “What?!” He turned around in shock. “You mean….lying to her about this? But it’ll break her heart!”

“Isn’t her heart already broken?” I asked. “Just keep this a secret between you and me. Nobody has to know about this.”

 

 

“But….but she’s my mother….” Adam responded. “I can’t keep a secret from her.”

 

 

“Everybody has secrets, Adam.” I told him. “Don’t you have secrets?”

I turned around, and walked back to the cottage that Adam and Adrainne resided.

 

 

And so we did.

 

 

We went back to Adam and Adrainne’s cottage, and told her that Hans had went off somewhere and we couldn’t find him. We said that when we tried to look for him, some man came up to us and said it was too dangerous to be roaming around at this hour, so we went back. After telling our fib to Adrainne, she sighed, rested her head on her fist, and closed her eyes in annoyance. “Hans, that idiot….I bet you he’s gone off somewhere for attention. He’ll be back eventually, you two. Keep an eye out just in case.”

 

 

Despite the fact that we knew Hans was never going to return, we still nodded and looked out for Hans coming back. We were right. He never did come back; which I personally thought was a relief, because he may have went up to me and scolded me because I didn’t save him when he was being attacked by that man.

 

 

I don’t think you’d believe this, but something happened the following day. A group of men were out looking for Hans, dead or alive. They searched everywhere, but his body was nowhere to be found. The only interesting thing that they found is that there was a purple outline of a person’s body outside his house. It was filled in, and they splattered purple everywhere. This was where Hans died, and now his corpse is nowhere to be found.

 

 

They categorised him as a missing person, and just left it at that. They still did monthly searches for him, but they doubt that he’ll ever be found; they believe he just went off somewhere. That sends a deathly chill down my very own spine.

 

 

That black haired man obviously has something to do with this.

 

 

I still wonder what he was on about. What did he mean? Why was he coming back for me?

Was he going to kill me, just like Hans? Or, would he do something else to me?

 

 

I hope he doesn’t do anything else. I hope he’ll just leave me alone until the end of my days. I hope he just decided to play a joke on me, so I’d become afraid of ever leaving the company of anyone around me and then be categorised as a vulnerable target for him. I hope he just thought that. I hope he dies. I hope he crumbles. I hope he’s killed. I hope he suffers the same way Hans did before he died as well. I hope I never see him again.

 

 

Oh, how stupid I was to hope that he would never return.

 

 

Since Adrainne Galanos was so psychologically traumatised by the death of her husband and the disappearence of her childhood friend, I didn’t want to leave her in such a damaged state. I didn’t have any family left to speak of. So I stayed with them; plus, I think Adam would’ve been mad at me if I just got up and left them alone like that. I mean, his friend just leaving them when he needs them the most? Of course he would be mad at me!

 

 

They were greatful for my assistance for the next few years – since I had no family to go back to anymore, I had no say in the matter. I had to stay there whether I liked it or not; I could’ve left to travel, but my heart wasn’t feeling it since the death of Hans. Plus, I would’ve been homeless and I had been away from my training back in my hometown for so long, I’ve actually forgotten how to properly wield a weapon. Yikes. So I couldn’t go out and travel, either, otherwise I’d be doomed as soon as I stepped out of the safety of the village.

 

 

It’s been three years since Hans died now; and I can’t help but feel that a huge part of me has gone missing ever since that day. I was able to cope with being physically and emotionally abused every night before I came here, but as soon as I witness an offguard man having his life taken from him in just a few seconds, I shut down. Why was that? I still don’t know the answer to that question and it seems li ke it happened months ago. Years ago. Decades ago. It’s been so long, hasn’t it?

 

 

I still haven’t seen that man. I hope he never comes back. Please don’t come back. Please don’t come back. Please don’t come back. Please don’t come back. Please don’t come back. Please don’t come back. Please don’t come back. Please don’t come back. Please don’t come back. Please don’t come back.

 

 

“Sara?” I heard a sudden voice, breaking my concentration. I looked up to see Adrainne Galanos. She’s sitting up in bed, her eyes showing concern towards me. Ever since that day when they found the purple outline, she’s been bedridden ever since. I could never blame her; she was so lost without her husband and her childhood friend. We should’ve expected her to become deathly ill at some point in her battle. I still regret not realising this today.

 

 

“Adam told me last night that we ran out of medicine.” She informed me, her worn voice making my ears ring, like a bell. “Perhaps could you pop down to the healer and get me some medicinal herbs? Ask for Adrainne Galanos’ perscription when you’re there, Adam forgot to last time and I ended up breaking out in hives.” Her voice was dripping with eagerness. Poor thing. It must be absolute hell to be banished to your bed for the rest of your life. I know I could never go through with it; I probably would’ve killed myself on the 1st week of being bedridden.

 

 

“Of course.” I gave her an eager smile, telling her that I would be delighted to go through with such a task. I could’ve been mean to her, but I didn’t want to. She had let me stay in her house for three years, so I liked her. She was kind to me. She was like the mother I never had.

Oh Adam, you have no idea how lucky you are to have a mother like Adrainne. I would kill to have a mother like her, you know that?

 

 

I exited out of the back door and started to make my way down to the shop. We couldn’t afford a house in the capital, so I have to walk fourty five minutes to get there. It was dark, but after a few months I got used to it. The eerie way the trees swayed still made my stomach twist. The stones under my feet crunched with every step. A cool breeze whipped across my face and caused me to shiver. I then started to walk faster.

 

 

Just then, I heard footsteps behind me. I kept my gaze straight and crossed my arms under my chest. The person walked faster and then tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around to see a man with black hair. He donned what appeared to be a cloak, and I couldn’t see the top half of his face. I presumed this was the cause of the dark. He then gave me a warm smile, but I didn’t trust him for a second.

 

 

“A pretty little girl like you shouldn’t be walking alone late at night. Would you like me to escort you to your destination?” He asked me. I kept staring straight and continuing to walk. No way was I going to trust this stranger. I don’t know anything about him. He could be some kind of sex offender, for all I know. “I’m fine. No thanks.” I said as cold as the wind. The man was confused with my reply.

 

 

“Are you sure? I don’t want you to catch a cold.” He told me, with concern in his voice. It was obvious that he was lying. I squeezed my eyes shut and kept on walking. I wanted him to turn the other direction and leave me alone. “I’m fine.” I said, a lot colder and stricter than the last time he asked me this annoying question. “I just….” He began to tell me, but I interrupted him.

“I’m fine. Just fuck off and leave me alone!” I snapped at him. I could hear him stop in his tracks.

 

 

Please don’t follow me. Please. Please just turn back and we can forget this ever even happened. I repeated that over and over in my mind. Unfortunately, he did because I could hear him begin to walk in my direction again. I turned around to see him start to run towards me. My heart felt like it was about to beat out of my chest and panic set in. I’ve heard about how people panic a rush of adrenaline set in. That must have been why I started to run. Myfeet began to fly across the pavement and I don’t ever remember running this fast before. The man was fast too. When I looked over my shoulder he came up closer behind me. I won’t be able to outrun him. I won’t be able to outrun him,so I ran off into the trees. If I can’t outrun him then I’ll hide in the darkness.

 

 

As I ran between the trees, I had to raise my hands up to stop the branches from scraping my face. One got caught on my sleeve and tore it. I don’t remember when, but at one point I lost my bag. It was no longer on my shoulder, and my plan to hide became harder and harder. Sticks cracked under my feet. A root was poking out of the ground and my foot caught on it and I fell forward onto my hands and knees. I could heard him approaching behind me. I got back onto my feet and started running again, despite a few near falls. I looked around for a place to hide. He was so close now that hiding behind a tree or bush wouldn’t work.

 

 

I turned to see how close he was to me. When I couldn’t see him I finally stopped running. I bent over and put my hands on the tops of my thighs and I was panting. The cold air burned my mouth, throat, and nose. He was most likely headed back by now. It wasn’t worth chasing me. I better continue to walk in the same direction, in case he was waiting or me to leave. That was when I turned around and saw him standing there right in front of me.

 

 

My heart jumped up into my throat. I wanted to scream out, but my throat burned like fire. Every step he took towards me, I took one back. I fell back onto the ground after tripping on another fucking tree root. I went to get up, but he ran over and pinned me down onto the ground. He threw a leg over me so he was sitting on my stomach. All I could do was scream. I imagined him torturing me painfully and then brutally murdering me. Pictures of long, sharp swords he carries around underneath his cloak filled my head.

 

 

I built up a collection of saliva in my mouth and spat in his face. It landed right in his eye. Without saying anything, he wiped his eye with the back of his sleeve. He then pulled out a needle, with a burning, purple liquid inside. He was going to drug me. I tried to move, but he was so heavy that all I could do was move my legs furiously. It didn’t make any kind of a difference. He put the needle in my arm and after injecting the liquid into my arm, he got off me.

 

 

I struggled to get back onto my feet. Once I did my head began to spin. I tried to run, but I was so dizzy that I tumbled down on the ground after a few steps. I couldn’t get back up onto my feet. I crawled on my hands and knees over to the closest tree. I grabbed the rough bark with my hands and it stung as I pulled myself up onto my feet. I could see him looking at me. I probably look pretty pathetic right now.

 

 

He grabbed my bag and legs, and lifted me up off the ground. He started to walk away with me in his arms. My eyelids felt heavy and I fought with them to keep them open. I can’t sleep now; I need to get away from here. I tried to push the mysterious man away with my arms, but I’m weak, and whatever drug he gave me made me feel even weaker than I already am. He put my feet back down on the ground, but my body was kept supported by one of his arms. I would try to run away, but my knees kept folding underneath me. He then started to vanish, me along with him. I tried to scream, but only a pathetic sound came out.

 

 

“It’s okay, honey.” He said soothingly, He stroked the left side of my face with his hand, revealling his cold, green eyes. I knew who he was now. I couldn’t stop myself from making more of those pathetic noises, but I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer. “Don’t worry, Sara. Or, should I say….Sara Dreadgood?” He chuckled. “Welcome to the family.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SARA. SARA. STOP. STOP. FOR FUCKS SAKE, JUST ESCAPE ALREADY. ESCAPE, GOD DAMMIT! 
> 
> ...Sara, when I meant ‘escape, this isn’t what I meant.  
> Looks like she’s got herself into a pickle. AGAIN. For goodness sake, what I am going to do with her? She is just so clumsy. I hate her so much. 
> 
> ….I don’t know why she just didn’t use her feet. 
> 
> (Seriously, why do I abuse Sara so much. Someday karma’s going to get me; I bet it’s going to be soon, ahah.)
> 
> Well….um….sorry for the cliffhanger. Again.  
> Bye.


End file.
